Between all the steals and pick-offs, it's doing more harm than good on most days.

 

Nobody knows how to get a big lead. Mediocre timing. And all the botched hit and runs.......:puke

 

Lee is 4 for 8

Uribe is 7 for 12 (3 cs and 2 pick offs)

Olivo is 4 for 7 (2 and 1)

Magglio 0 for 2

Thomas 0 for 1

Crede 0 for 1

Gload

Timo

Rowand (one of his steals was actually a botched run-down in Toronto)

 

Willie is now 8 for 11 (2 and 1), so he should be the only Sox running unless a new instructor teaches these yoyos how and when to run.

 

Something has to be done about this.

If Wille would learn how to dive head first and read the pitcher better he could steal 60 a year. But yeah, we gotta cut down on the steal attempts.

In the case of Carlos today, he had a huge lead. In some cases the catcher just wins the battle.

You're right - this is the part of being aggressive that Hawk overlooks when he's complaining about sabremetrics or Billy Beane. The outs you run into, the runs you don't score, get overlooked.

You're right - this is the part of being aggressive that Hawk overlooks when he's complaining about sabremetrics or Billy Beane. The outs you run into, the runs you don't score, get overlooked.

It's that aggressiveness that has allowed us to score more runs than last year. Sometimes you get gunned down, and sometimes you manufacture runs. Even if statiscally it was a wash, at least you keep the pressure on the defense, which is always a good thing. A lot of times it forces pitchers to pitch more fastballs, which is good for our hitters.

Just remember there is a fine line between aggressive and stupid...

It's that aggressiveness that has allowed us to score more runs than last year. Sometimes you get gunned down, and sometimes you manufacture runs. Even if statiscally it was a wash, at least you keep the pressure on the defense, which is always a good thing. A lot of times it forces pitchers to pitch more fastballs, which is good for our hitters.

Very good points. If the pitcher is thinking about something other than getting the batter out, then it's advantage Sox.

The only runner that I feel comfortable with is Jose. Let him steal, he reads pitchers very well and always knows the situation.

The only runner that I feel comfortable with is Jose.  Let him steal, he reads pitchers very well and always knows the situation.

You don't feel comfortable with Willie stealing?

The running game against Seattle on Saturday was not pretty. I do agree that at times aggressiveness can work against you as well as it can work for you. I think you need to add being alert and smart in your moves to the aggressive part of running. I am not too certain the Sox have been doing that as a package.

You don't feel comfortable with Willie stealing?

I know I do. I just wish Willie would be comfortable with himself stealing; he's awfully timid for a guy with that kind of speed.

The only runner that I feel comfortable with is Jose.  Let him steal, he reads pitchers very well and always knows the situation.

Jose has a shreded hamstring courtesy of 20 years of playing baseball all year round. There is a reason why since 2001 re-aggravation, he hasn't been stealing bases. He'll take an extra base on a bounce in the dirt, but that's not counting as a stolen base.

 

The only Sox I want running all the time is Willie. Olivo and Uribe and Rowand should pick their spots - ie get a Jose-esque lead, allow the pitcher to throw over 3-4 times, distract him, and IF said pitcher forgets about you....GO.

 

Running with our sluggers (Lee, Maggs), on Franklin who is fairly quick to the plate, on Safeco turf which is soft and not conducive to great jumps, in a situation where a big inning is brewing? STUPID!

 

A fast, smart, instinctual baserunner give a team a dimension that goes byond stolen bases. A stupid baserunner KILLS rallies. Sox have to many of the latter.